Entertaining the troops
Bob Hope and other Hollywood stars used to entertain marines in the past. Hope’s performances relied heavily on sexual innuendo but sexual norms were different in the 1950s. Bob Hope was a staple from the 1940s through the 1990s. The USO ran nearly 100 overseas shows in the spring of 1943 alone. Today is the 67th anniversary of the United Service Organizations and the USO is still at it. regulars today are singer Kid Rock and actor Robin Williams. This is Williams performing in northern Iraq last Christmas. But the military doesn’t leave all the work of entertaining troops to the USO. Last month US Army Europe put out a web request for performers interested in touring Kuwait and Afghanistan. Some observers if the army would get any takers after some specific stipulations. It’s received one. Still this army expert believes the web is a good way to recruit for entertainers. The USO says there’s no shortage of volunteers from entertainers, but why would stars be interested? This USO spokesman says it’s exciting for them and there are different elements but the real issue is the audience is so good. The troops understand the entertainers don’t have to be there.
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